Regular readers will not be surprised to see Martin Stephenson & The Daintees make an appearance in this series given how much praise I've heaped on them in postings of old.
At their peak in the 80s/early 90s, the band released four LPs and after reforming a few years back, recorded another LP in 2007.
I'm going to cheat a bit this week. Instead of torturing myself trying to narrow it down to my favourite five non-singles, I'm instead going to feature one track from each of the studio LPs:-
mp3 : Martin Stephenson & The Daintees - Little Red Bottle
From the debut LP Boat To Bolivia released in 1986, this is a song which is tinged with irony.
Written as far back as 1981, its all about alcoholism. In fact it celebrates alcoholism and is the epitomy of the happy-go-lucky and carefree drunk. The fact that Martin would later have many a battle with the demon drink over the years is where the irony lies. It was a disease/illness that had a lot to do with the band failing to make a commercial breakthrough and their eventual break-up. He's been tee-total now for years....and his live shows nowadays are all the better for it. He still loves playing this song today.
mp3 : Martin Stephenson & The Daintees - Slaughterman
By the time sophomore LP Gladsome, Humour & Blue was released in 1988, there was a lot of buzz surrounding the band, thanks to the critical acclaim given to the debut and the fanbase that had built up with relentless gigging.
Looking back, I think the band, management and record label were bitterly disappointed that the LP failed to yield a hit single - there were high hopes in particular for the remixed version of Wholly Humble Heart but they were dashed.
Slaughterman wasn't an entirely new song when the LP was released having previously featured on a b-side. This remix was in a sense the work of the Kitchenware All-Stars, with Neil Conti of Prefab Sprout playing drums and David Brewis of The Kane Gang on keyboards.
mp3 : Martin Stephenson & The Daintees - Spoke In The Wheel
Salutation Road, released in 1990, is a fabulous record. In addition to the normal band, there were a number of hugely talented guest musicians on brass and strings, as well as a new full-time backing vocalist in Andrea Mackie. The tour for the album played the largest venues yet, many of them selling out very quickly. But it still wouldn't all quite click into place.
Maybe by this time, the drink and rigours of constant touring were taking their toll. Certainly at the Glasgow gig, at the 1500 capacity Pavilion Theatre, The band were forced to open the show without Martin for the simple reason that he was still in the pub next door as the show was due to commence. And when he came on stage, he was a mess....
It was almost as if having again experienced two more flop singles, including Left Us To Burn which is one of the great anti-Thatcher songs ever recorded, the soul was ripped out of Martin and the band. Which is why the fourth LP, The Boy's Heart, released in 1992, is a bit more hit and miss than the previous works. That's not to say its a poor record, far from it, but it wasn't as consistently excellent as the other LPs.
One cracking tune from it is this - featuring a vocal contribution from the mighty Cathal Coughlan - its a nostalgic look at the days of old when big radiograms were what brought sounds into your home:-
mp3 : Martin Stephenson & The Daintees - Sunday Halo
The band broke-up when the 1992 promotional tour was over. and didn't get back together until 2000 when a few low-key gigs in their native north-east of England were arranged.
Their fanbase may be small, but it is very loyal. Believe me, after you see them play live, you'll never want to miss another gig. And it was great to see them go back into the studio in and do something that very few bands mange to pull off and that's the trick of releasing new material years later, in this case 2008, and still making it is enjoyable and meaningful as the old material.
mp3 : Martin Stephenson & The Daintees - Western Eagle (Part 2)
The title track of a very lovely and perfectly understated LP. If anyone reading this is a fan of the 80s/90s LPs, then you should also get your hands on Western Eagle. You will not be disappointed. You can buy it direct from the label here.
So there you have it. 5 great and very different album tracks covering the career of one of my all-time favourite acts. I'm not saying they're the five best LP tracks they ever recorded, but they do help show off the diversity of material that is out there.
Happy Listening.
3 comments:
Great stuff, although I would have picked Nancy off G, H & B, simply a beautiful song.
I've loved Martin & the band since the first album & rarely miss a Glasgow area gig. I've seen him in Cork & Berwick on Tweed (with the band), at festivals, in pubs & in churches and have rarely been disappointed. It's the willingness to engage with the audience & involve them that really sets him apart- he never sees it as 'me & them'- always as 'us'. A really special performer.
I could make a different list of five every day & still not be satisfied I'd got it right!
Sunday Halo is a great choice.
Great post and can only echo what Lorraine wrote.
Hooked the first time I heard Crocodile Cryer I've tried in my head doing my own 5 and had to give up
At their peak they were the best live band going by a mile.
I actually like The Boys Heart better than Salutation Road
"May youth forever weave her magic around your ways and time the robber leave you the boy's heart all your days"
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